Belichick, Patriots are prepared to face 49ers

By Daniel Brown

Mercury News

Posted:
10/01/2008 07:27:12 PM PDT

Updated:
10/02/2008 08:30:51 AM PDT

Click photo to enlarge

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick listens to a reporter's question during a media availability at the team's football facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday, morning Oct. 1, 2008. The 2-1 Patriots will face the 2-2 San Francisco 49's Sunday in California. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

Suffice to say that when the 49ers had trouble protecting quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan last weekend, Bill Belichick noticed.

The coaching mastermind was allowed to focus his full attention on the game because the Patriots were on a bye. That's never good news for Belichick's next foe. Since taking over in New England, he is 6-2 after a regular-season week off and the Patriots have outscored opponents 215-95 in those matchups.

Next up are the 49ers at Candlestick Park on Sunday. The 49ers, far from rested, are coming off a bruising blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints in which O'Sullivan was pressured for six sacks, seven hurries and seven passes defensed.

Still, Belichick resisted the urge to salivate. He said Wednesday that the key to stopping a Mike Martz offense is what happens after the sack.

He noted that the 49ers rank second in the NFL in big plays, with 20 plays of at least 20 yards (tied with Denver). Dallas is first with 22.

"They've been able to overcome a second-and-20 or a third-and-15 because of their efficiency in throwing the ball down the field,'' Belichick said. "Third-and-10 is no big deal to them."

"Like every offensive line, they've given up a couple of plays. But so has every other line in the league. The bottom line is that the 49ers are throwing it down the field and they're making big plays in the passing game."

Advertisement

Gunning for the big plays has come at a price. O'Sullivan has been sacked 19 times in four games.

Now comes a Patriots defense legendary for its creative harassment.

New England's pursuit can come from anywhere. Safety Rodney Harrison is the NFL's all-time leader for sacks by a defensive back with 30﻿1/2. Mike Vrabel ranks fourth among active linebackers with 53 sacks and Adalius Thomas fifth with 47. They are rested, ready and still hacked off about a Week 3 home loss to Miami.

The 49ers also are looking to bounce back.

"That was our poorest performance,'' Coach Mike Nolan said. "But coming out of it is what I'm most concerned with. If it makes us better because we learned some things from it, then that's a good thing."

The 49ers better be quick learners if they are to keep O'Sullivan upright against a smart, aggressive defense. Tackles Joe Staley and Barry Sims said they need to hold their blocks longer.

O'Sullivan knows he bears responsibility, too, as he failed Sunday to sense the blindside pressure from defensive end Will Smith, who forced a fumble with a sack.

"When I escape out of the pocket, I need to go full speed until I feel like I'm away from those guys,'' O'Sullivan said. "I can't break the containment, throttle down and try to make a play downfield."

Nolan hinted that O'Sullivan tried too hard to stick to the plan, even as the chaos swirled around him.

"I think in a couple of cases he was trying to do what he was told, and he's so doggone disciplined,'' the coach said. "But a quarterback has to have the freedom to play quarterback as he sees fit for that game.

"You can draw things real nice and sweet on the board, but they don't always come out that way. And good players have the ability to improvise when need be."

The 49ers can expect plenty more chaos this weekend, especially since an opposing coach with a .626 winning percentage has had an extra week to prepare.